Mike ShaiAvailable for work

I’m Mike Shai, a product designer in Denver, CO.

Designing experiences that shine, even in

I design AI products people trust, and I build them with AI. Over a decade in enterprise SaaS, now shipping AI-native products end to end.

See the work Resumé

Approach

AI can draw the interface now. The hard part is deciding what it should do, what it should never do, and how people stay in control. That’s the work I do, from the first interview to production code.

Selected work

5 case studies · 4 with AI at the core

  1. AILucidFlow

    AI match analysis wrestlers can trust

    Computer vision and NLP turn match film into transcripts, scouting reports, and a move library, with people correcting the model at every step.

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  2. AIUnstuck by LuchaFit

    Private journaling, need-to-know AI summaries

    AI turns athletes’ daily logs into guidance for coaches and parents, without ever showing what athletes write.

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  3. AIUnstuck by LuchaFit

    An assessment and live coach dashboards, shipped solo

    Athletes get a score and a growth plan. Coaches get a team dashboard that updates itself. Designed and built end to end with Claude Code.

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  4. AILF Ledger

    An assistant that shows the change before it saves

    Tell it what happened in plain words. It shows exactly what will change, and nothing is saved until you confirm.

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  5. Hivey

    From concept to 40% of a market in one week

    A two-sided platform for breweries, markets, and food trucks. I led research, product, the design system, and launch positioning.

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How I design for AI

  1. 01

    Confirm before commit

    AI proposes, people approve. Changes show as a clear diff and save only after a yes.

  2. 02

    Corrections are data

    AI output is a draft. Every fix is easy to make and is kept to make the model better.

  3. 03

    Privacy decided first

    Before any feature, decide what the AI may surface, to whom, and what stays private.

Before that

Full resumé
  • Printfection, acquired by Custom InkSenior Product DesignerModernized a legacy Bootstrap 3 product into Custom Ink’s design system after the acquisition, and consolidated four unused dashboards into one built with customers.2022 – 2023
  • VertaforeProduct Designer IIHelped build Alloy, the design system for a suite of insurance products, and designed a built-in sales pipeline for agencies.2019 – 2022
  • AltisourceVisual DesignerLed UI and UX for RentRange, a real estate rental data product.2016 – 2018

What partners say

All 17 on LinkedIn

  • “Mike is easily one of the most talented designers I have ever worked with.”

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    Mike is easily one of the most talented designers I have ever worked with. With minimal direction, he is able to understand the tone and audience for his work. It doesn't matter the complexity of the project, he is internally hard-wired to find a solution. His affable nature and good sense of humor allows him to mesh into any group quickly and he is definitely a “team player”. Any firm would be lucky to have Mike on their roster.

    Dennis CisternaCEO, Investability Solutions

  • “The quality of his designs shines through a platform developed by a ‘team of one.’”

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    It was a joy to work with Mike during the merging of UX teams when Custom Ink acquired Printfection. He made valuable contributions to our collective knowledge and the evolving body of UX work. This included conducting research studies, performing market analysis, conducting UX audits, and working on rebranding projects to establish a coherent design language. It's worth noting that his product partners consistently praise his work, as the quality of his designs shines through a platform developed by a “team of one”.

    Shan ShenPrincipal UX Designer, Custom Ink

  • “Especially during challenging times, I leaned on him often.”

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    I had the pleasure of working with Mike on my team for a year and a half, and I can confidently recommend him for any UX research or design role. He approached occupying a new role within the company with confidence but also humility. Mike has a calming and mature demeanor, with a realistic but positive perspective, especially during challenging times, I leaned on him often for those reasons. Mike also loves to learn new skills, so I think he'll be a great asset to any organization that invests in him!

    Denise SchumacherHead of Product, Printfection

  • “His talent for breaking down complex concepts into understandable components has been invaluable.”

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    One of Mike's standout qualities is his ability to connect the dots for those who may not fully grasp the intricacies of UX. His talent for breaking down complex concepts into understandable components has been invaluable. Not only internally, but externally as Mike's knack for simplifying UX processes enhances collaboration and ensures that everyone is on the same page, making him a key player in customer relationship building. I have no doubt that Mike will bring the same level of enthusiasm, expertise, and humor to any project or team he joins.

    Amy PetrikinSr. Customer Merchandise Manager, Printfection